


Drawn Conclusions

by feathershollyandgolly, hllfire



Category: X-Men (Alternate Timeline Movies), X-Men (Movieverse)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Drawing, Erik knows how to draw, Gen, Headcanon, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-28
Updated: 2020-05-24
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:54:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,536
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23887015
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/feathershollyandgolly/pseuds/feathershollyandgolly, https://archiveofourown.org/users/hllfire/pseuds/hllfire
Summary: Turns out that Erik is an artist. And also turns out that Charles was looking for pens in the wrong drawer of his desk.
Relationships: Erik Lehnsherr/Charles Xavier
Comments: 26
Kudos: 80





	1. Erik Has a Hobby

**Author's Note:**

> This came from a convo between me and [secretlymagneto](https://secretlymagneto.tumblr.com) on tumblr where we just agreed that Erik draws because of the Shaw drawing in Erik's room in First Class and that he does fanart of him and Charles together (mostly Simon's idea, bless him) and the idea was TOO GOOD not to write and I came up with this. Please enjoy the fic that I titled as "Erik draws smut" on my Google Drive.

Of all the things Charles thought he would find in Erik's desk, a drawing of him and Erik in an _indecent position_ was the last thing he expected. Let alone _multiple_ drawings of him and Erik together.

He wasn't even supposed to go through Erik's desk, it was almost a breach of privacy — at least Charles would feel very annoyed if someone went through his desk without his permission —, but Charles had lost yet another pen somehow and had to urgently grade the kids' tests to hand them over in the afternoon. He was tired of moving around, arms slightly sore from the errands he had to go through on his wheelchair during the entire morning to check on everyone, and Erik's study was close to him, on the first floor, where Charles currently was, so he thought it wouldn't be a bother to borrow one of Erik's pens and stay there since he had the tests resting on his lap so he didn't have to go to the elevator yet again. He knew Erik wouldn't mind, specially because Charles had done it before.

Or he _wouldn't_ mind if Charles hadn't opened the wrong drawer.

He really didn't understand what he saw at first when he opened the bottom drawer of the desk, noticing the lines on the paper that was settled there forming an image that made his mind spark with recognition at the features there. He took the paper, brow furrowed as his eyes and brain tried to make sense of what was clearly a drawing, until it finally clicked and he felt his cheeks burning instantly. He was there in the drawing. With Erik. And they were-

"What in the world..." he mumbled out loud, eyes suddenly going over to the drawer again and noticing that there were _more._

He took the small bunch of papers there that he could see were also drawings, putting the tests that rested on his lap on Erik's desk and looking at the drawings without knowing how to feel. On one hand, they were all drawings of either Erik and Charles together, both in an innocent and a _very-much-not-innocent_ way, or of Charles alone, which was, well, weird. On the other hand, the drawings were _good._

In all of them, Charles was able to identify himself there, a few features that were his allowing him to see it, which was quite impressive. There was something about him in those drawings as well that was a lot like him and not like him at all, Erik's vision of Charles, which made the Professor blush even more as he realized it. He was checking one drawing in particular, where his lips were draw through the whole page — and in some of the drabbles, they were around something _very suggestive_ —, when he noticed someone entering through the door. As a telepath, he should be ashamed that he didn't feel Erik arriving into the private study, but soon his eyes met Erik's.

The man only stood by the door for a moment, curious as to what Charles was doing there, when he saw the papers in Charles' hands and suddenly he became very pale, body stiffening immediately and eyes widening. None of them said anything for a few seconds, tension growing around the room, until Erik opened his mouth.

"These aren't mine."

Charles frowned, looking down at the pages once more before meeting Erik's eyes again. The man looked mortified.

"They have your name on them."

Silence again as Erik closed his mouth more tightly. He was thinking very loudly, and for good reason, and Charles caught a very loud complaint to himself about signing his own works, making Charles raise his eyebrows.

"I am sorry I went through your desk," Charles said quickly, still holding the drawings while he felt like Erik's mind could short circuit at any moment, voice sounding as if he was talking to a scared child. "I was just looking for a pen and I guess I opened the wrong drawer."

Erik blinked a few times, as if he was trying to go back to normal by doing that, moving to lean the weight of his body on his left leg, uncomfortable.

"The pens don't go on the bottom drawer." Erik said simply, voice still strained.

"They don't go on the top drawers either. Last time all I found there was a knife and candy wrappers."

_"Last time?"_

This time, Charles stopped.

"I may be on a shortage of pens because I keep losing them and I borrow yours when that happens." Charles shrugged, now looking as guilty as Erik. "So if you kept these here it was only a matter of time until I found them."

Erik's eyes fell to the drawings again, cheeks now blushing deep red, and Charles tried to find something to say, to ease the tension in the room from the fact that he had found Erik's smut drawings. He should warn Erik to not do it again, to throw these away, and that it was weird, since they were friends. Instead, Charles said:

"These are really good."

Erik's head perked up immediately, looking straight into Charles' eyes to see if the man wasn't joking, and Charles felt himself blush as well. He wasn't lying, the drawings were good, and some part of him seemed to enjoy these more than he should.

"You… like them?"

"I mean, I look good in all of these, so I guess I do…?"

Erik stood still for a few more seconds before he crossed his arms, looking down at the ground before he said a small _'thank you',_ seeming to be both pleased with Charles' opinion and completely ashamed at the same time. As he noticed Erik wasn't going to talk anymore, he cleared his throat and piled the drawings again, putting them on his lap before putting his hands together.

"Can you borrow me a pen?"

"Second drawer to the right."

Charles opened said drawer, seeing a few pens stored there and taking one, picking up his tests from the top of the desk and starting to leave the study, arms suddenly not feeling that sore anymore as he tried to escape the room, when Erik looked at him with curious eyes as he gave Charles some space so he could go through the door.

"The drawings-"

"Oh no," he said, raising his eyebrows at Erik as he pressed the drawings down with his tests there, protecting them, making Erik blush even more. "I'm keeping these."

"Why?"

Charles stopped, eyes locked with Erik's for a moment before he smiled and shrugged, moving away before the man could say anything else, leaving a slack jawed Erik behind.


	2. Erik Will Not Draw You Like One of His French Girls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erik is still reeling from the fact that Charles _knows_ about the drawings now. Especially the fact that Charles is treating everything like it’s supposed to be funny. 
> 
> It’s not all that simple.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> KSHDKAJS SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG THE GREAT COMPUTER TRAGEDY HIT AND I HAVENT HAD THE TIME TO WRITE A LOT SINCE :( Anyway have a chapter that takes itself a bit too seriously

Ever since the... _incident_ , Erik has made sure to keep his desk drawers locked at all times. And the cabinets. And the office itself, for good measure.

The effort is pointless, of course. Charles is the one person who wasn’t meant to know, and now he has at least six drawings that are quite _clear_ in their intentions. 

Erik likes to think he’s good at hiding things. He is, as his students put it, ‘as emotionally intelligent as a brick’. So, he assumed that the situation would blow over if he pretended nothing had happened (and upped security, a lot).

He was wrong.

“You should be more open about your artistic abilities,” says Charles during one of their nightly games of chess.

Erik glances up. “What?”

“You should be more open about your artistic abilities,” Charles repeats, taking one of Erik’s pawns. He keeps it in his hands, rather than discarding it like the others. “You’re fantastic at it.”

“I’m...it’s a hobby,” Erik says, trying to concentrate on the board.

Charles lets out a huff of a laugh and mutters something that sounds like an innuendo. He brushes the pawn against the gentle curve of his lips as though he was doing it to concentrate (which Erik knows for a _fact_ is unnecessary). 

That doesn’t make it easy for Erik to tear his eyes away. 

Erik moves his knight in retaliation. 

_“Check,_ ” he announces.

“You captured my likeness perfectly,” Charles continues, immediately moving his king from its vulnerable position. “How long have you been doing it?”

“Doing what? Drawing?” Erik asks, deliberately staring at anywhere that wasn’t Charles.

“Don’t play dumb with me, Erik. You know what I’m asking about.”

“Yes, and _I don’t want to talk about it_.” Erik hisses. “I’m out of practice, anyway. It’s...well, it’s been ten years, as you can imagine.”

Rather than comment on Erik’s...incident in 1963, Charles simply leans back with a slow grin spreading across his face. Erik still doesn’t know where Charles put those drawings he stole. Or what he did with them. 

He doesn’t really want to know, either.

“You know, if you want practice…” Charles mutters. He puts two fingers to his temple, though the gesture’s more courtesy than a necessity. “... _I’m always willing to model._ ”

Erik freezes, almost dropping the bishop in his hand. 

“What?” He asks, inhaling sharply.

“What?” Charles asks, possibly confused and possibly just making fun of him.

It all feels more like one big joke. Charles has no idea what he’s gotten himself into. 

“You’re serious?” Erik asks.

Charles looks him in the eye. “Dead serious.”

Erik’s mouth goes dry.

He imagines being able to study Charles’ face. Detailing clever eyes, the graceful angle of his jaw, the angel’s bow curled into a smile—No. Charles has seen Erik’s work. He would, out of amusement or pity, try to offer _more_ than that. 

And Erik sees pale skin and broad shoulders and the contrasting movement between the lines of a body he could only speculate about. He wonders what it would be like to guide Charles to the perfect pose. 

He would try to simply instruct from afar, but he knows he would trip on his own words because this isn’t some model, this is _Charles._ Erik wouldn’t be able to help reaching out to touch— 

“No,” says Erik.

Erik knows the metal in the room is shaking, even as quietly as he tries to hide it.

“No?” Charles asks. “Why not?”

“I don’t have to justify it. The answer is no.” Erik abruptly leaves his seat, putting the bishop down. “I’m tired. I’m going to call it a night.”

“Are we adjourning this game, or starting over tomorrow?” Charles asks.

“Do whatever you’d like,” Erik replies. “Goodnight, Charles.” 

Without another word, he stalks off. He can feel Charles’ gaze boring into him as he closes the door. 

He can’t do this.

God help him. He can’t do this.  
  


-  
  


Erik enters his office the next day and nearly has a heart attack. It isn’t a great start to the morning. 

“What are you doing in here?” 

Charles, who is at the desk with a pile of papers in front of him, smiles.

“I owe you an apology,” he admits. “I stepped out of line trying to make myself more comfortable with the situation.”

Erik stands there, staring in stunned silence. He isn’t sure what to do, seeing as Charles tends to play the moral high ground even though going into Erik’s desk was clearly an invasion of privacy in the first place.

“If you’re uncomfortable, then don’t think about it,” Erik says. “They’re not yours, and they weren’t meant to be seen. I don’t appreciate making light of what’s personal.”

“Aside from the fact that they involve me.”

“Aside from the fact that seeing as you only discovered them recently, they clearly weren’t affecting you or anyone else.”

“You’re _attracted_ to me.”

Erik reels, almost feeling as though he’s been hit. Charles’ tone is not playful anymore. It’s accusatory. 

“It’s not like that,” Erik protests.

“Yes it is,” says Charles, face falling. “Are you afraid I’d be disgusted, somehow?”

“You don’t understand shit about it,” Erik hisses, striding forwards until he is leaning across the desk, just feet away from Charles.

“Then enlighten me.”

It’s infuriating how Charles is so damn calm about it. So nonchalant that it hurts. His words read like a dare.

Erik seizes Charles by the collar and pulls them both together until their faces are a breath away. The burn beneath skin says _fight him. Or kiss him. Just do it now, before it’s too late._

Erik presses their foreheads together. 

_Come on, Charles. Just let me show you._

He takes the mess of emotions, the mess encompassing everything he feels for Charles, and presents them. If Charles is trying to avoid entering his mind, he’s going to have a hard time ignoring this.

Erik knows he’s won when Charles inhales sharply. 

_“Oh,_ ” says Charles. “Oh, Erik, I had no idea…”

”You do now.”

Erik pulls away, trying his best to remain angry.

All things considered, it’s not the way he wanted to admit that. He was going to show Charles the drawings _eventually_ , after the whole talk about feelings. (That or never. Never would have been a nice option too.) He can only hope things go back to normal after this.

But then Charles tugs at Erik’s arm and brings him back. And nothing is normal at all.

“I’m sorry,” says Charles.

“It doesn’t matter. You’re obviously uncomfortable with it, as you said earlier,” Erik mutters.

Charles shakes his head. “I said I was trying to make myself more comfortable with the situation.”

“What’s the difference?”

Charles moves closer, if it is even possible. Erik tries to stop himself from falling apart right then and there. 

“I didn’t think you loved me the way I love you.”  
  
And now it’s Erik’s turn to be shocked. The anger melts away into disbelief. Into a secret sort of glee. 

“Uh,” Erik says eloquently. _Oh._

He has no idea how he didn’t figure it out sooner. As stubborn as Charles is, he has always had an incredible amount of patience for Erik. Always has an unwavering faith in him.

“We should have dinner sometime,” Charles suggests.

“Dinner,” Erik echoes.

Charles presses their foreheads together again. It would be uncomfortable, the two of them reaching across the desk for so long, but Erik can’t help but find it perfect.

“Dinner, just the two of us,” says Charles. “And chess. And after, well, my offer is still open.”

Erik raises his eyebrows. “For modeling?” 

“If you’re up to it.” Charles tilts up slightly. _What do you say?_

 _Oh, Charles,_ thinks Erik. _I love you far too much to possibly refuse this._

And aloud, he says, “Of course I’m up to it.”

Charles, with eyes bright and full of hope, lets out a small laugh of relief. Of pure joy. Erik can’t help but laugh with him. Gently, he reaches forward to cup Charles’ face in his hands. 

_Can I…?_

_Yes._

Erik doesn’t know who moved first but they’re gravitating to each other until their lips meet, uncoordinated but true. Nothing could have a warmth like this. The relief. The complete freedom.

For now, Erik forgets the ‘private’ drawings scattered across the desk. 

The real thing is far more beautiful than he could have imagined.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and Kudos are always appreciated <3
> 
> (Also the third chapter will be art!!)


	3. Erik’s Sketches

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erik can draw but apparently he only likes drawing a certain telepath...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi yes hello FGH/SecretlyMagneto here I had digital art but again the great computer tragedy has forced me to do traditional smh  
> Enjoy!  
> -FGH

This is apparently what Erik does in his spare time when he isn’t collecting knives.

**Author's Note:**

> [Also posted on tumblr.](https://hellfre.tumblr.com/post/616575821566574592/am-i-posting-too-much-fanfic-recently-yes-do-i)


End file.
